"What did you say? Natalie, are you angry?" Adrian immediately let go of Yana's hand and rushed to Natalie's side, coaxing her patiently. "Don't be angry. I know you don't like this. I'll send her to the mansion in the suburbs right away."

"I know this is my fault. I shouldn't have ruined your family, Mr. Brown. I shouldn't have told you at all. I should've secretly had an abortion. I'll go do it right now!" Yana turned away in tears and ran off, claiming she was going to get an abortion.

She hadn't gone far before she fell to the floor.

Seeing her fall, Adrian panicked. He shoved Natalie aside and hurried to help Yana up. "I never said you had to abort this child! This is my child! I want you to keep it!"

"I don't want to put you in a difficult position. Ms. Harrington would never accept my child. And even if the baby is born, it would still be illegitimate. It might as well be ended now…" Yana threw herself into his arms and cried even harder.

Adrian held her tightly, full of pity. "Don't worry. I'll make her agree. If she really refuses—"

"I agree." Natalie cut him off. "How about this, Adrian. We divorce first. After the child is born and properly registered, we remarry. How does that sound?"

"Really? Natalie, you're actually willing?"

"Yes. I am." Natalie took out the divorce agreement she had prepared long ago and handed it to him. "Sign it."

"You already printed the divorce papers? That fast?"

Adrian frowned, suddenly sensing that something wasn't right.

"What? Are you regretting it now?" Natalie sneered. "Then I'll take it back. This is your only chance. Miss it, and it's gone. Adrian, think carefully."

"I'll sign. But Natalie, you really will remarry me, right? You're not lying to me, right?"

"Don't worry. I'm not lying." Natalie replied.

Adrian finally signed the divorce agreement.

At that moment, Natalie felt no sadness at all. Only relief.

"Natalie, you're so understanding. I'll go check on Yana first. I'll come back to the room early tonight to keep you company."

Watching the barely contained joy on Adrian's face, a faint, mocking smile curved at Natalie's lips.

Adrian had made his choice. She would let him have it.

That night, Adrian didn't return to the bedroom.

Halfway through her sleep, Natalie was jolted awake by thunder. Outside, thunder roared and lightning flashed again and again.

She had always been terrified of thunder. In the past, Adrian would appear by her side the moment the thunder struck.

But tonight, the space beside her was empty.

He wasn't there. He was with Yana.

Natalie stepped out of the bedroom, intending to go downstairs for a glass of water.

As she passed the guest room, she saw what was happening inside.

Adrian and Yana were lying on the bed. He was gently resting a hand on her belly while telling her unborn child a story.

Seeing this, even though she had already given up on him, Natalie's heart still clenched painfully.

She had once been pregnant too. But three years ago, Adrian had suffered serious liver problems.

When no one was willing to undergo a living liver donation, she had quietly had an abortion and donated part of her liver to him.

From that moment on, her health was never the same, and it became very difficult for her to get pregnant again.

The entire Brown family knew about it. Everyone except Adrian.

He had always thought she avoided having children because she was afraid of pain, never realizing that she had nearly lost the ability to be a mother because of him.

After coming downstairs, Natalie had just poured herself a glass of water when Yana appeared.

"What's wrong? Trouble sleeping alone, Ms. Harrington?"

Natalie didn't want to engage, but Yana stepped directly into her path.

"Don't go. Let's have a proper talk."

"What, showing your true colors at last?" Natalie looked up at her. "Not going to keep pretending?"

"Pretend for what? You and Adrian already signed the divorce papers. What's left for me to pretend?" Yana sneered. "Since you've decided to divorce, then get lost already. Stop dragging this out and playing hard to get, thinking you can make Adrian change his mind. Dream on. He's destined to be mine!"

Her words completely stirred up what little calm Natalie had left.

"Yours? Yana, I've known Adrian for decades. How long have you known him? One year. And after one year, you dare say he belongs to you? That's bullshit!"

She stared at Yana, her eyes icy and devoid of warmth. "I was willing to step aside for a mistress like you. You should be grateful, not showing off in front of me. Yana, if you provoke me again, I'll tear up that divorce agreement immediately and make sure you never become Mrs. Brown."

"You—how dare you!"

Yana raised her hand to strike her, but Natalie caught her wrist tightly. "Try me and see if I dare. I've always lived by one rule, if you don't provoke me, I won't provoke you. You mark my words! Adrian wasn't taken by you. I threw him away. You picked up my discarded trash. What do you possibly have to be proud of?"

"It hurts, Natalie! Let go of me!" Yana struggled, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.

"Remember what I said. Don't provoke me. Otherwise, I'd rather ruin things completely with Adrian than ever make things easy for you."

Natalie flung her hand away and turned to go upstairs.

Behind Natalie, Yana suddenly grabbed the water from the table and poured it over her own head.

"Ah! Ms. Harrington, why would you do this to me?"

Before Natalie could even react, Adrian rushed down the stairs.

"Yana, what happened to you?" Seeing her drenched, Adrian exploded. "Who did this? Natalie! Was it you?"

Yana spoke pitifully. "Adrian, don't blame Ms. Harrington. I know she doesn't want me to be pregnant, and she doesn't want me to marry you… I understand."

"Natalie, apologize to Yana!" Adrian's expression darkened. He glared at Natalie, disappointment filling his eyes. "I thought you were truly understanding, willing to divorce me so I could marry Yana and give her a proper status. But it turns out you're this two-faced. You've disappointed me deeply!"

Natalie laughed softly. "You believe her just like that? You don't even ask me whether I actually poured water on her?"

Adrian used to trust Natalie completely.

She remembered once, when someone falsely accused her of stealing, Adrian had rushed forward and fought that person, insisting she would never steal. He had said that even if the whole world doubted her, he would believe her.

But now, he had changed.

"Yana wouldn't falsely accuse you. Apologize!"

"I won't." Natalie spoke stubbornly. "I, Natalie Harrington, will never admit to something I didn't do!"

"You're hopeless!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Adrian grabbed the water pitcher from the table, raised it above her head, and poured it down.

Ice-cold water streamed from her scalp into her clothes, the bone-chilling cold spreading through her entire body in an instant.

Natalie slowly lifted her gaze, barely able to believe the man standing before her.

"Adrian… you're treating me like this because of her?"

"If you refuse to apologize, this is the only way! I'm telling you, Natalie Harrington, since I've decided to give Yana a proper status, I won't allow you to bully her anymore! If you dare do anything else that displeases me, then a year from now, we won't remarry at all."

After throwing out those words, Adrian wrapped an arm around Yana and went upstairs.

As they brushed past her, Yana deliberately slammed into her.

Natalie lost her footing and fell heavily to the floor.

There was a loud thud, but Adrian never once turned his head.

Since he was this heartless, she no longer felt any attachment to him.

Natalie pulled out her phone and booked a ticket to Valoire for the next day.

Adrian had no intention of remarrying. So be it.

Whatever lay between them was over. Completely.

Early the next morning, Natalie left the mansion, pulling her suitcase behind her.

She went to the company's HR department and submitted her resignation.

The HR manager asked in disbelief, "Ms. Harrington, are you really resigning? What will happen to the company if you leave? We all know that although Mr. Brown is the CEO, almost everything is managed by you. If you go, the company will collapse!"

"Whether the company collapses or not has nothing to do with me. I've decided to leave, and starting tomorrow, I won't be coming back to the company." After saying that, without giving the HR manager any chance to respond, Natalie turned and walked away.

Dragging her suitcase, Natalie stood at the entrance of the building and took one last look.

Then she hailed a taxi and headed for the airport.

Before boarding the plane, her phone suddenly vibrated. It was a call from her father.

"Natalie, if you've already left the Brown family, then I'll start taking action. All business dealings with the Brown family will be cut off from this moment on. Are you alright with that?"

"No problem, Dad. Whether the Brown family lives or dies from now on has nothing to do with me."

Not long after she hung up, Adrian's calls started coming in.

One after another.

Natalie didn't answer. Instead, she turned her phone off.

This time, Adrian was truly part of her past. They would never meet again.